What Causes Dissociative Amnesia?
Psychogenic amnesia causes are typically related to trauma, stress, and memory. Traumatic events, childhood-related trauma, high stress, substance abuse, or other psychological factors can all cause dissociative amnesia. For example, trauma-induced amnesia can occur because of sexual assault, war, or a natural disaster. Your brain works to protect you from negative feelings by creating a disconnect from the memory.
Stress-related memory loss occurs during moments of tension and stress, such as a divorce or job loss, when the brain attempts to avoid the distressing memory to cope. Childhood trauma and amnesia are often related, as well. Dissociative amnesia can form if you experienced violence, neglect, or instability in your formative years, causing your brain to block the negative experiences from your memory. Having co-occurring conditions such as PTSD and substance abuse can also cause dissociative amnesia to develop.